The Leaving of Opalescence
by The Legend of Rune Factory
Summary: After being gone on a business trip for a few weeks, Rarity expects nothing more than to come home, relax, and go back to her normal life. However, a rather unpleasant surprise awaits her instead; one that, though seemingly harmless, nearly crushes her and threatens to engulf her entirely.


**Ok, so... Long story short: I recently became a pegasister (not obsessively) and Rarity is my favorite pony. I left for a long trip and when I came back my parents said, "Oh, by the way, your favorite cat died." So... Yay inspiration! First MLP: FIM fanfic, so please, if you see anything wrong with it fact-wise, DO NOT HESITATE to let me know!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

"Opal! Mommy's home, darling!" Rarity shut the front door behind her as she trotted in. She piled her luggage unceremoniously off to the side. "Opal!" She called again. She didn't really expect her ivory Persian cat to come running at her, but she _had_ been gone for two weeks, so she figured that constituted a special hello.

She wandered absently into the kitchen. "Hm?" A note was taped to the fridge. Using her magic, she brought it up to her face. "Dear Rarity, please come see me as soon as you get home. Fluttershy. Wonder what that could be." She put the note on the counter and walked back to the foyer.

"Opal, I'm leaving again but I'll be back soon!" She sighed quickly before heading back out into Ponyville. Her hooves made sharp clicks on the cobblestone. As she passed by the Sweet Apple Acres apple cart, she nodded a hello to Applejack.

"Hey Rarity! You're back!" The orange-yellow mare grinned. "Where ya headed?"

"Fluttershy's. She requested that I see her upon returning home."

Applejack's green eyes widened. She nudged her little sister. "Apple Bloom, watch the cart."

"But Applejack—" She started.

"Ah said watch the cart!" AJ took off after Rarity, easily catching up to her.

Rarity and AJ walked on in silence. Truth be told, the fashion designer was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. _Is there something she's not telling me…?_ She caught another of AJ's awkward smiles and returned it gracefully.

Finally they arrived at Fluttershy's cottage and Rarity felt she could breathe again. She knocked on the door lightly. "Fluttershy! It's me, Rarity!"

Their Pegasus friend opened the door shyly. "Oh! Rarity… Did you have a nice trip?"

"It was all right. I'm looking forward to a relaxing day at the spa tomorrow! You're still coming with me, aren't you?"

She nodded. "Please… Follow me…"

Fluttershy led them down the lane and through Ponyville. "Fluttershy, if we were just going to stay in Ponyville, why didn't you just meet me at my house?" Rarity shook a stray strand of her mane into place. "I mean, honestly…"

She seemed to ignore Rarity's complaining. She didn't stop walking until the three of them were standing next to the tree by the Carousel Boutique. "Rarity, I…" She faltered, as if she couldn't find the right words to say.

Applejack took over. "Rare, while you were gone, well… We lost Opal. She got sick. Real sick. Fluttershy and Twilight tried everything, but it was too late…"

Rarity suddenly seemed to see the fresh mound of dirt at the base of the tree. A little cross was stuck at the head, with the name "OPALESCENCE" written in big black lettering. "Wh… What?" She whispered, feeling tears stinging at her eyes.

"We buried her here because… I thought it would be nice…" Fluttershy pressed her ears against her head. "I'm sorry…"

They were shocked to see that instead of the loud sobbing and dramatic weeps they'd come to expect, silent tears rolled down Rarity's cheeks. She sniffled softly before her legs gave out beneath her and she laid on the dirty ground. Her crying escalated to a muffled whimper as tears continued to fall.

"We're all here for ya, sugercube…" Applejack nudged her friend. "Let's leave her alone, Fluttershy."

Rarity barely registered that they left her. Her mind was too rushed, too flurried with activity. In her memories she could see herself only a few years before playing with a fuzzy ball of white fur as Opalescence tried to catch her hair. She remembered a time when her little kitten would roll up in yards of fabrics and nap.

But those were all memories now, lost to time. Rarity lifted her head weakly. Her throat felt scratchy and she coughed. A headache began nagging at her, so she stumbled to her feet and dragged herself inside. All the while the words rang in her ears: _We lost Opal, we lost Opal…_

She barely managed to open the door and get herself inside before she collapsed into a heap of sobs.

* * *

A few days later, Twilight made up the excuse that she needed something mended to go check up on her friend. She had draped the ripped blanket over her back and trotted up to the Carousel Boutique, not even bothering to knock. Inside she could hear the steady whir of a sewing machine as Rarity worked in silence. "Rarity?" She called.

"I'm in my workroom!" She called back, her voice void of color.

Twilight Sparkle slowly walked into the workroom, surprised to see that the mannequins were empty and that an old dress was being repaired on the machine. "Aren't you supposed to be creating a new line of clothing?"

Rarity looked up, her red glasses falling down on her muzzle. "Hm? Well, I suppose I probably should… It can wait." She shrugged and continued to repair the hem on the dress. "Maybe I can just adjust some of my old pieces…"

"Well, in the meantime, could you fix this up for me?" Twilight placed the blanket on a table next to her friend.

The white unicorn glanced at it. "Of course, darling. Just give me a moment here." She chucked the dress off to the side carelessly and fitted the blanket on the sewing machine.

"You really shouldn't just toss your dresses around…" Twilight picked it up and draped it over a mannequin.

"I don't even know why I kept it. I don't wear it anymore."

She noticed that Rarity worked with an almost robotic precision. That explained why creativity had seemed to die here; she wasn't trying. She wasn't even trying to try. "Rarity, are you feeling all right?"

"Oh yes; just fine." She flashed a half-hearted smile over her shoulder before finishing up the blanket. "Here. That should hold for a while."

Twilight grabbed it again, nodding her thanks. As she left, she suddenly turned. "By the way, Applejack wants you to come down later. Says she has a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Rarity nodded once. "Thank you. I'll be sure to do that."

The violet pony closed the door after her and smiled. She could only hope that Applejack's gift would make things better.

* * *

Late that afternoon Rarity found herself standing in front of the barn at Sweet Apple Acres. Her little sister and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were standing by Applejack, who smiled as she saw her friend arrive. "Hey there, Rarity!" She drawled.

"Good afternoon, Applejack. And…you all." She forced a smile on her face. "Twilight said you wanted me."

"Eeyup, Ah do indeed." She turned to open the door of the barn a crack. "Come 'ere. And be real quiet so you don't scare 'em."

"Don't scare what?" Rarity pushed her head in the door. Her blue eyes widened as she caught sight of a tiger-striped cat lying in a cardboard box, surrounded by a litter of kittens. "Oh… Oh my…"

"Cute, ain't they?" Applejack leaned down to nuzzle the mother. "She had 'em a few weeks ago. At first Ah figured Ah'd just give 'em all to Fluttershy to care fer, but after Opal, ya know… Anyway, the point is, Rarity, that Ah want you to take one o' these little critters. Go on, pick your favorite!"

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly…" She began to back out of the barn. The wounds in her heart from the death of her dear cat were still very raw. She couldn't see herself with any pet but Opalescence, and honestly she didn't want another. Not quite yet. She wasn't sure if she'd even have another pet ever again.

Just as she was about to leave she felt a tug on her tail. A hard one. Swinging her head around to look, she saw that one of the kittens had decided to utilize her curls as a toy. She winced as the kitten clumsily climbed up her tail and onto her back, where it proceeded to stand there, kneading her fur and purring loudly. "I… I don't really…"

"Ah think this'un likes ya."

"Well, I'm afraid that I can't take him home." Using her magic she lifted the kitten off her back and set it on the ground. He looked up at her pitifully with large green eyes. She felt her countenance breaking as she remembered her own kitty doing the exact same thing those few years ago.

* * *

_"Are you sure you don't want to take her? She really seems to like you, Rarity!" _

_ "No, that's quite all right, my dear. I don't think having a kitten in my shop would be a very good idea anyway. But thank you very much for letting me come look!" She smiled brightly at Fluttershy before turning to the spurned kitten. "And farewell to you…too…" _

_ The kitten's eyes were large and a soft "mew" slipped out. She stood to clumsily rub herself against Rarity's leg. The unicorn nodded slowly. "I'll take her. I'll take my darling Opalescence." _

* * *

"Applejack, I'll take him home with me. I'll take my darling Aventurine." Rarity picked up the kitten and placed him snugly on her back. His black and silver stripes contrasted starkly with her all white coat, but she didn't care.

Applejack could do nothing but smile as they walked out of the barn. She saw Sweetie Belle jumping up and down trying to get a look at her sister's new pet. "Rarity, did you get a cute one?"

"They're all cute, darling! I just chose the cutest one of all. You can say hello when we get home." Rarity began leaving.

"Uh, wait! Rarity, can Scootaloo and Apple Bloom come over tonight?"

The unicorn stopped and turned around. She nodded with a smile. "Of course. As long as you don't make any messes I have to clean up later."

The three fillies dashed ahead, shouting, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS KITTEN CARETAKERS YAY!"

Rarity followed at a slower pace, careful not to jostle the now sleeping kitten nestled between her shoulder blades. She felt at peace, and in a sense, happier. Aventurine wouldn't replace Opalescence—but then, no cat in all Equestria could—but he could bring her some normalcy back to her life and inspiration to her creations.

* * *

**Just so you know, an aventurine is just another gemstone. Also, I decided that although on the show Opal and Rarity don't seem to get along all that well, obviously Opalescence has some affection for her owner or else she would've run away or something by now. Go figure for using logic with a cartoon.**

**Anyway, reviews are appreciated!**

**-LoRF**


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